Distance-meter or range-finder.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

I. P. SORENSEN. DISTANOE METER 0R RANG FINDER.

' xo-monnL'.

PPLIOATION FILED AUG.'30, 1902.

the straight-edge is found bymovingthe lat UN TED ST T S PATENT QFFICE.

DISTANCE-M ETER OR RANGE-FINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,435, dated March10, 1 903 Application filed August so, 1902. Serial No. 121,680. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, J HAN PoUL SoRsNs'EN,

telegraphic assistant, of Nerd borggade 11, Co-

p ha n Kiss' om'of Deh'm hha e invented certain new and useful Improve:ments in Distance-Meters or Range-Finders;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact'description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the ace companying'drawing, and to letters and fignresof referencemarked thereon,which'forms a part of this specification" The presentinvention relates to a distancemeter or range-finder.

The arrangement of causing an armature to swing through a definitedistance on a pivot by carrying'an arm over. one or several .contactssuitably-connected with-electromagnets interposed in an electriccircuit, which magnets are arranged in a circle around the said pivot,is known. So is also the method of ad:

. justing a pivotedstraight-edg'e rotating on the plane of a mapparallel to the axis et a telescope, which is directed to a spot ofcountry which corresponds to the position of the pivot onthe map. Thepresent invention is a combination of these two known arrange: ments,the telescope being directed to the telescopic station'- by means of thecontactarm mentioned above, while the straight-edge or other indicatoris rotated on'the plane of the map by means of the armature connected toits pivot. In this'way the straight-edge is made to follow the movementsof the telescope automatically when the latter is rotated, which doesnot occur when the method al} ready referred to is made use of, for inthis known arrangement the proper position of ter to a'nd fro until agalvanometer "inserted in a Wheatstone bridge takes up a definiteposition.

The arrangement is shown'diagrammatics y n th d awi being so a an ed hatthe map, with the two straight-edges or indicators, is placed in theimmediate neighbor hood of'one of the measuring-telescopes at thelatters station.

. The telescopes a b are pivoted on vertical -ures.

wires 4 5 6, these wires being led to the stascope a is providedjwith aworm-wheel i, with which engages a worm k, which is also inengagement'with a second worm-wheel m, having the same number of teethas the first one i. The worm is is turned by means of a crank n and twobevel-wheels 0. When the crank k is turned, both the telescope a. andthe straight-edge g are also turned, so that these two members performangular movements of precisely the same amount. If the map a be properlyoriented, the edge of the straightedge or indicator 9 and the axis of.the telescope a remain parallel during this angular movement, and if thetelescopebe directed upon a vertical line at the goal (I e 9 upon a mastthe edgeof the straight-edge upon the map gives the direction of theobject with reference to the line which joins the points cf. Thetelescope b at the other station carriesa worm-wheel p, which engageswith a Worm g, upon the axis of which is a bevel-wheel r. This wheel a"engages with a" second bevelwheel 25, which is fixed on an axis drivenby means of a worm u. and a crank 11. The axis further carries acontact-spring or an arm w, which when the 'axis sis turned slides overa row of contact-buttons which are placed in a circle concentric withthe said axis. Eighteen'such contact-buttons are shown in the drawing,and these are numbered successi vely l 2 3, 1 2'3, and so on, all thebuttons bearing the same figure forming a group, since they are mutuallyconnected, but are insulated from the buttons bearing other fig- Fromeach of the groups l 2 3 pass tion at which'the map a is placed and arethere connected to the coils of three electr0-.

magnets'7 I8 9, whose axes are placed in the same plane and are soarranged that the axis ofeach magnet forms, with those of the other two,an angle'of one hundred and twenty degrees. The other ends of the threecoils are connected together by wires and by meanslof a conductor 11, inwhich is interposed a suitable source of current with the arm w. At thepoint .of intersection of the axes of the three electromagnets 7 8 9 isplaced an axis 13,

which carries the plate 14, which is approximately of the form of theflukes of a ships anchor, its angles lying somewhatnearer the axis 13than the middle of its curve, while the length of the plate is so greatthat the two angles project into the magnetic fields of the two other.electromagnets when the center of the curve of the plate is oppositeone of their number. I

The armature or the plate 14 carries a worm which engages with aworm-wheetlfi, secured on the axle of a worm 1G. The worm 16 engageswith a worm-wheel 17 on the pivot f of the straight-edge or indicatorIt,

When the telescope bis turned by turning the crank w, the arm to is atthe same time made to pass over the contact-buttons. Every time the armtouches a contactbutton a current passes through the arm m, thecontactbutton-c. 1., that marked 1-the line-Wire 4, the electromagnet'7,the line-.wirc 11, and the battery 12. The armature-plate 14 is thenattracted by the electromagnet 7, so that the middlept its curve comesto lie in the produoed a'xis'otthe-electromagnet. By the retation of thearmature-plate.:14 the worm, which is in fixed connection with itthe'wormwheel 15, the worm on the axis 16, and the straight-edge h arealso made to rotate.

The number of the contact-buttons depends upon the exactitude which isdesired in the observations; but if three electromagnets be used thenumber of buttons must be divisible by the number three. If in thepresent case eighteen contact-buttons are used and the wheel 1) isprovided with one hundred and twenty teeth and the wheels 1 6 and 1'5with eighteen teeth and the wheel 17 with forty teeth, the straight-edgeh will be caused to execute the same angular movement as the telescopeb, and the straightedge will be moved by a motion of the telescope whichcorresponds to not less than five minutes of are.

Supposing the map a to be properly oriented, if the straight-edge orindicator h be once for all set parallel to the axis of the telescope b,then it will always remain parallel to the axis of the telescope whenthe latter rotates, and the point of intersection of the edges of thetwo scales 9 hwill consequently indicate upon the map the posit-ion ofthose lines vertical to the object which are cut by the axes of the twotelescopes or in which the vertical planes of these axes intersect.

One or both of the straight-edges or indicators g It may be marked witha scale, with the points e f as zero-points, in such a way as to allowthe distance of the object from the stations aand b to be directly readotf. The map may also be divided into degrees or in some similar way, soas to give at once the azimuth of the object. i

If the mapbe not in the immediate neighborhood ofthe telescope a, itmust be connected with the straight-edge g by means of an arrangementsimilar to that by which the telescope b is connected with thestraight-- edge It.

Ifthe map be not oriented, then at the outset there must be given toboth the straight edges a direction with reference to the line cfcorresponding to that which the axes of the telescopes a and b occupywith reference to the base a b. Having now particularly described andascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the sameis to be performed, I declare that what I claim is-- 1. In arange-finder, the combination with an indicator and means to move it, ofa second indicator, a plurality of electromagnets, an armature revolublethrough the fields of said magnets and arranged to operate said secondindicator, a plurality of contacts,.

each electrically connected to a magnet and means to send current toenergize the magnets to rotate the armature and second indicater,substantially as described.

2. In a range-finder, the combination with an indicator and means tomove it, of a second indicator, a plurality of electromagnets, anarmature IGVt a Yale through the fields of said magnets and arranged tooperate said indicator, a plurality of contacts arranged in groups, eachgrou p electrically connected to a magnet and means to send current toenergize the magnets to rotate the armatn re, substantially asdescribe-3..

. 3. In a range-finder, atelescope, contacts, electromagnetselectrically connected to said contacts, an armature revoluble in thefields of said magnets, an indicator positioned by said armature, andmeans positioned relatively to the azimuth direction of the telescopetosend current through a contact to a magnet to rotate the armature andcorrespondingly position the indicator, substantially as described.

4. In a range-finder,-a telescope, circularlyarranged contactselectrically connected in groups, an electromagnet electricallyconnected to each group of contacts, an armature revoluble in the fieldsof all the magnets, an

indicator revolved by said armature, and means to position saidtelescope and simultaneously send current through acorrespondingly-situated contact to energize a magnet, rotate thearmature and the indicator to a position substantially parallel with thetelescope, for.the purpose set forth.

5. In a range-finder, an indicator, a plurality of electromagnets, anarmature .revoluble' in their fields and arranged to rotate theindicator, and means at a distant point to selectively energize themagnets to rotate the armature and indicator, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a range-finder, an indicator, a plurality of electromagnets, alunette-shaped armature, the horns thereof suificient-ly long to projectinto the fields of adjacent magnets when. the armature is opposite oneof them and arran ged-to rotate the indicator, means at a dis tant pointto selectively energize the magnets to rotate the armature andindicator, substantially as described.

7. In a range-finder, a straight-edge, a plurality of electromagnets, anarmature revoluble in the field of said magnets, aworm on the armature,a worm-wheel gearing therewith, a

' shaft rotated by the worm-wheel,a worm on the shaft and a worm-wheelon the straight-edge gearing with the worm, a series ofcircularlyarranged contacts electrically connected in groups, each groupelectrically connectedto an electromagnet, a trailing contact-armmovable over the contacts, means to move said arm, a telescope, andmeans to move the telescope correspondingly with the arm, substantiallyas described. 1

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Ihave signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' J OHAN POUL SORENSEN.

Witnesses:

' B. J ACOBSON,

ERNEST BOUTARD.

